"You're welcome, young lady," Duckworth replied sincerely, though still sounding as dignified as he always did toward Scrooge.

"See you tomorrow!" Tegwen called over her shoulder, heading through the rusted gates and up the path to Magica De Spell's manor. The exotic sorceress surely had wealth -- her multistoried summer home with its expansive forested acreage and attached graveyard were proof enough of that. Rich, yes . . . but not a handyman, or handywoman in Magica's case. Windows were boarded up, and shutters hung off their hinges for as long as Tegwen could remember.

In fact, its dilapidated state made it the tonal opposite of Scrooge McDuck's larger and more pristine home. Yet Magica had always insisted that her estate in Italy was much more well cared for. Her brief stays in Duckburg meant she had little time for painting, dusting, or pruning the outside bushes. Tutoring Tegwen while keeping track of her family always seemed to be paramount on Magica's agenda. And Tegwen was only too happy to take advantage of her teachings whenever she was visiting.

Tegwen pulled her checkbook from her purse and leafed through her balance book until she came upon the slip of paper with the McDuck monogram on the upper left corner. That monogram, itself, was probably worth more than the amount on the check that Scrooge had written for Tegwen.

"Two hundred, thirty-one dollars," Tegwen whistled. "And eighty-one cents . . . Not bad for two weeks worth of after school baby-sitting." She slid the check back into her checkbook with a content sigh. And still, the triplets don't realize that their uncle is paying me to watch them . . . Quite generously, actually. Tegwen stopped dead in her tracks. Especially for him! I wonder, if word got out about this, how his reputation might be ruined . . .

The front door of Magica's house eased open as Tegwen approached it. "You're right on time," a voice greeted her coolly, a mixed accent hanging on the fringe of each word she spoke.

"Good evening, Magica," Tegwen greeted her with a warm smile, pausing in the doorway.

"Come in, Dear," Magica stepped from behind the door and beckoned to her. "We've been over how rude it is to lurk in doorvays."

Tegwen nodded. "I know. I remember."

"Come this vay." Magica began walking down a hallway they seldom ventured down, Tegwen following her closely. Out of nowhere, Magica whispered, "Your parents vish to leave Duckburk."